Subjectivity and Personal Ambition in the Governance of Educational Institutions

Authors

  • Indah Siti Nurhalizah Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Fatah Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia
  • Pitriani Pitriani Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Fatah Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia
  • Maila Rosidah Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Fatah Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia
  • Muhammad Sirozi Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Fatah Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52690/jswse.v7i3.1545

Keywords:

Educational Governance, Educational Quality, Ethical Leadership, Subjectivity and Personal Ambition

Abstract

This study examines how subjectivity and personal ambition influence the governance of educational institutions and affect the quality and relevance of educational services. Conducted using a qualitative literature review approach, the study analyzed books, journal articles, and policy documents related to educational management, leadership, and organizational governance through content analysis. The findings indicate that when decisions are influenced by personal interests, they can lead to bias, internal conflict, and reduced educational quality. Effective governance requires systematic, transparent, and participatory planning supported by ethical and professional leadership. In Islamic educational contexts, embedding moral and spiritual values such as justice, integrity, and responsibility further strengthens governance and leadership effectiveness. The novelty of this study lies in emphasizing the combined impact of human factors and ethical frameworks on educational management, highlighting the need for moral considerations alongside administrative systems. Practically, the findings suggest that educational institutions should implement objective decision-making processes and foster ethical leadership to enhance accountability and sustainability. Overall, this study contributes a comprehensive framework for understanding how subjectivity and personal ambition affect governance and provides guidance for improving institutional quality and long-term relevance in education.

References

Ahmad, N., & Hassan, R. (2022). Ethical leadership in Islamic education institutions. Journal of Islamic Educational Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIEM-04-2022-0015

Alqahtani, A. (2021). Governance and accountability in Islamic educational institutions. International Journal of Educational Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-07-2020-0335

Bedi, A., Alpaslan, C. M., & S.Green. (2016). A meta-analytic review of ethical leadership outcomes and moderators. Journal of Business Ethics, 139. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2625-1

Bert George., & Richard M Walker, J. M. (2021). Does Strategic Planning Improve Organizational Performance A Meta Analysis. Public Administration Review.

Bowen, G. A. (2009). Document analysis as a qualitative research method. Qualitative Research Journal, 2(9), 27–40. https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ0902027

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis. Qualitative Research In Psychology, 18(3), 328–352. https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2020.1769238

Bush, T., & Glover, D. (2021). School leadership models: What do we know. School leadership & management. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2020.1809244

Castillo, J. A., Córdova, M. E. R., Orozco, E. P., & Gurumendi, J. M. B. (2024). Strategic planning for the management of educational institutions: A systematic review. Journal of Ecohumanism. https://doi.org/10.62754/joe.v3i8.4733

Colquitt, J. A. (2021). Bringing fairness back: How organizational justice research can inform management practice. Academy of Management Annals, 15(2), 567–602. https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2019.0051

Datnow, A., & Park, V. (2020). Data Driven Leadership. Educational Administration Quarterly, 56(1), 5–28. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013161X19840365

Eisenbeiss, S. A. (2020). Doing well by doing good Analyzing the relationship between ethical leadership and performance. Journal of Business Ethics, 162(2), 255–270. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-018-3974-9

Elo, S., Kaariainen, M., Kanste, O., Polkki, T., Utriainen, K., & Kyngas, H. (2020). Qualitative content analysis: A focus on trustworthiness. SAGE Open, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2007.04569.x

George, B., Walker, R. M., & Monster, J. (2021). Does strategic planning improve organizational performance A meta analysis. Public Administration Review. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13104

Halstead, J. M. (2020). Islamic values: A distinctive framework for moral education. Journal of Moral Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057240.2020.1728672

Hutt, E., Polikoff, M. S., & Researcher. (2020). Toward a framework for public accountability in education reform. Educational Researcher. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X20931246

Legood, A. (2021). Leadership, creativity, and innovation: A meta-analytic review. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 30(1), 1–35. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2020.1833237

Liu, S., Bellibas, M. S. G. S. (2021). The effect of instructional leadership on teachers’ organizational commitment. Educational Management Administration & Leadership. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143220905031

OECD. (2021). Education Policy Outlook 2021: Shaping Responsive And Resilent Education In A Changing World. OECD Publishing.

OECD. (2022). Education at a glance 2022: OECD indicators. https://doi.org/10.1787/3197152b-en

Onia, S. I. (2025). Educational governance: A literature review. Journal of Governance and Administrative Reform, 2(6), 209–221. https://doi.org/10.20473/jgar.v6i2.71954

Paul, J., & Criado, A. R. (2020). The art of writing literature review: What do we know and what do we need to know. International Business Review. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibusrev.2020.101717

Putra, K. A. U., & Surnyawa, I. K. (2022). The effect of accountability and transparency on effectiveness of government school operational assistance funds management. European Journal Of Business And Management Research. https://doi.org/10.24018/ejbmr.2022.7.4.1364

Schildkamp, K. (2021). Data-based decision-making for school improvement: Research insights and gaps. Educational Research, 63(2250–269). https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2021.1907613

Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal Of Business Research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039

The World Bank. (2020). Realizing the future of learning: From learning poverty to learning for everyone, everywhere.

Xiao, Y., & Watson, M. (2020). Guidance on conducting a systematic literature review. Journal of Planning Education and Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/0739456X20907345

Downloads

Published

2026-04-21

How to Cite

Nurhalizah, I. S., Pitriani, P., Rosidah, M., & Sirozi, M. (2026). Subjectivity and Personal Ambition in the Governance of Educational Institutions. Journal of Social Work and Science Education, 7(3), 1819–1827. https://doi.org/10.52690/jswse.v7i3.1545

Similar Articles

<< < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.